BMW unveiled Concept Ninety, a tribute to its 90 years of two-wheeled history, at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2013.
Created in partnership with the custom bike company Roland Sands Design, the BMW Concept Ninety resurrects the spirit of the emotionally charged superbike BMW R 90 S, translating the emotionality and inspiration of the earlier model into a contemporary guise. This is a modern reiteration of the traditional essence of the motorcycle: the harmonious unison of man and machine - pure and emotional.
"Today BMW motorcycles stand for perfection and function. That is what we have worked hard to achieve and something we are very proud of," commented Ola Stenegard, Head of Vehicle Design BMW Motorrad. "But we want more than that. With the BMW Concept Ninety we want to show how reduced and pure an emotional BMW motorcycle can be."
The BMW Concept Ninety takes to the stage as a sporty boxer with a battery of sophisticated details. Its basic proportions clearly take their cue from the forebear that inspired this concept: the fairing, tank, seat and tail instantly signal its family bond with the BMW R 90 S. The BMW Concept Ninety also picks up on the demarcation of the bike's proportions that was a hallmark of the time. The upper ergonomic and aerodynamic bodywork is visually separated from the black engine and chassis. The bodywork is hand crafted from aluminium. Its brushed areas can be seen in the tinted areas of the front fairing and tank, as well as at the tail. The rich orange shade of the BMW Concept Ninety is also a nod to the legendary Daytona Orange paintwork of the BMW R 90 S.
The BMW Concept Ninety delivers a very sporty interpretation of the front fairing. But whereas halogen was technically cutting-edge in the BMW R 90 S era, contemporary LED elements light up the face of the BMW Concept Ninety, honouring its ancestor with a round headlamp design. Seamlessly mounted behind it, the dynamically shaped tank ensures an optimal connection between rider and machine. Further along, the tank and seat melt harmoniously into each other. A steadily ascending line from the handlebars to the tail creates a slight wedge shape, lending the BMW Concept Ninety an almost ready to attack stance when viewed from the side - like a sprinter about to explode into action. Below the bodywork sits the air-cooled flat-twin boxer engine. Entirely in black with contrast cut details this section of the bike symbolises concerted power, precision and performance. The mechanics and technology as a whole are purposely rendered visible and reflect a keen attention to detail.
Custom Parts by Roland Sands Design
The mechanical parts and engine area, above all, bear the Roland Sands imprint. Particular attention was devoted to those elements typical of a boxer, and thus also of BMW, which were meticulously designed and elaborately finished. Key highlights include the front cover of the engine and the valve covers, that got painstakingly milled, as well as the exhaust system. The parts were milled using a contrast cut process, which strikes an alluring contrast to the black mechanical components. This technology was also applied to the rims, whose classic design recalls the racing triumphs of the BMW R 90 S in the 1970s.
The machining and technical implementation of the parts, are state of the art - like all the details on the BMW Concept Ninety. "It was important for me to translate the special statement made by the BMW R 90 S into the present through the use of unique parts - employing emotional design and cutting-edge technology," explained Roland Sands of his approach to the bike. Likewise designed and made by Roland Sands are the brake and clutch controls, the Paralever arm and the air filter under the seat. All these meticulously manufactured individual parts blend smoothly into the form language of the BMW Concept Ninety.